Stars Trivia Quiz

Answer: Metric

"Nightsongs" was Stars' first major release (in 2001) and it included the singles "The Stars Are Out Tonight" and "My Radio". First sold on a label the band only used for later EPs, "Nightsongs" didn't really gain much ground outside the indie crowds. At the time, the band only consisted of two main members with Emily Haines singing backup vocals on the two listed songs and Amy Milian singing all other female vocals (and later joining the band).

Emily Haines is also known for her work in the Canadian indie rock band Metric and her solo work under the name Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton, most of which consists of her more solemn piano performances. In all later renditions of "Going, Going, Gone" and "On Peak Hill", Amy Milian provides vocals.

"Going, Going, Gone" was later re-released in a live version for the band's 2008 EP, "Sad Robots" after a reemerging popularity during their performances.

Answer: Acting

Originally from Toronto, Torquil Campbell formed Stars back in 2000. He's also a member of a number of other small, independent bands including Dead Child Star and Memphis. Born into a family of stage actors, Campbell has also done work in Shakespearean plays as well as in television roles. Aside from lead vocals in Stars he also plays a number of instruments including the trumpet and the melodica, a keyed flute often uncommon in modern music. Campbell created Stars alongside Chris Seligman, the band's keyboardist, and the band as a whole created their own record label, Soft Revolution, in 2010.

Answer: Elevator Love Letter

Maintaining the same soothing sounds as "Nightsongs", the band's second album, "Heart", explored the difficulties of love. "Elevator Love Letter", one of the few songs from the album to get a music video release (then a first for the band) was released in 2003, a year after the album. The only other song from the album to receive a video was "Look Up".

"Heart" was taken on by the Paper Bag Records label in 2002 becoming the Toronto label's third album. It would later be the band's first (and the label's second) Juno Award nomination for Best Alternative Album in 2004. Paper Bag Records also signed on Tokyo Police Club, Winter Gloves, and Campbell's other band, Memphis, in following years, all of which became relatively successful from an indie standpoint.

Answer: Broken Social Scene

Torquil Campbell, Amy Milian, Chris Seligman, and Evan Cranley have all been members of Broken Social Scene at some point or another. This collective, known for having had over two dozen temporary members, has released a number of albums including the Polaris Prize-nominated "Forgiveness Rock Record" (2010) and the Juno-winning "You Forgot It in People" and self-titled album (in 2003 and 2006, respectively).

These members of Stars have also shared the honours with Emily Haines and other Metric members, Leslie Feist (known for her famous album, "The Reminder") and others.

Answer: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Although the band released the more upbeat "Ageless Beauty" as their first single from "Set Yourself on Fire", the more sombre "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" became the more popular release. The music video for the song features the members of the band lying on an icy river, much like Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey in the 2004 film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Many of the song's lyrics reflect the story depicted in the film. The song starts with the line "when there is nothing left to burn you have to set yourself on fire."

"Set Yourself on Fire" was the band's first album to achieve notable success in terms of sales. It went Gold in Canada, was featured on iTunes, and "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" was featured in a number of TV shows (including "The O.C."). "Set Yourself on Fire" was also nominated for a Juno Award, losing to Feist's second album in 2005. An album of remixes was also released to pair up with this album; "Do You Trust Your Friends?" contained songs recreated by many of Canada's then-popular indie groups.

Answer: In Our Bedroom After the War

"In Our Bedroom After the War" hit store shelves in 2007 and received overwhelmingly positive critical reviews. Although more melodramatic than the band's usual fare, its songs were hard-hitting and emotional, more so than normal. The album was produced in Vancouver at a recording studio owned by singer-songwriter Bryan Adams.

In 2008, their album appeared on the shortlist for the Polaris Music Prize though it lost to Caribou's album, "Andorra".

Answer: Take Me to the Riot

The only major single from "In Our Bedroom After the War", "Take Me to the Riot" hit the airwaves in 2007 and became the only song from the CD to receive a music video. One of their bigger hits, "Take Me to the Riot" is a staple in the band's concert line-up due to its strong, rebellious chorus (which many can easily sing to) and soft lyrics from lead singer Torquil Campbell.

The only other single to appear on this album was "The Night Starts Here". Although it never received much airplay, it was sung by Amy Milian.

Answer: I Will Follow You Into the Dark

Of eleven songs on Milian's second album ("Masters of the Burial") four were covers with the most famous being Death Cab's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark", a song that originally appeared on their 2006 album, "Plans". Milian's soft, flighty voice was well-reviewed on this second album, a follow-up to her 2006 CD "Honey from the Tombs".

Much of Milian's work on the Stars albums comes from her songwriting and vocals with Torquil Campbell. She also plays guitar for many of the songs. In 2011, Milian had a child with fellow band member Evan Cranley.

Answer: Fixed

"Fixed" became the band's first single from their fifth studio album, "The Five Ghosts", upon its release in 2010. The song also featured a music video and was notable for being one of the first official singles from the band to predominantly feature Amy Milian in lead vocals. Much of the album features either Milian or Campbell singing, but less frequently together.

"The Five Ghosts" was the band's first release on their independent label, Soft Revolution, the name of which comes from a song on their "Set Yourself on Fire" album. Many of the songs on this CD deal with death and loss (as well as love, as in their other albums).

Answer: Wasted Daylight

Another song with Milian on lead vocals, "Wasted Daylight" is a personal favourite. Emphasizing the band's more electronic sound found on this album, it brings together Milian's light, soothing voice and the strong beat in a way that personifies the album. Again, much of this album deals with the losses and regrets in life and "Wasted Daylight" is no exception.

"Wasted Daylight" was not released as a single from "The Five Ghosts". After "Fixed", the band released the more upbeat "We Don't Want Your Body" as the album's second single in 2010.